Fence.



No. 698,l77. Patent ed Apr. 22,1902.

w, m. CRAFT.

FENCE.

(Application filed out.- 21. 1901.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. CRAFT, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 698,177, dated April 22, 1902. Application filed October 21, 1901. Serial No. 79,406. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. CRAFT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a fence made in sections having fastening devices which enable them to be readily and quickly put together or taken apart without the use of tools to the end that the fence may be moved from place to place, if desired.

To this end the fence is constructed in sections each of which is complete in itself, and one or both of the end posts of each section is provided with means for engaging and holding the end post of the adjacent section or a corner-post, as the case 'may be. This corner-post is of such construction that two sections of the fence disposed at right angles to each other may be secured in such manner that each braces and helps to support the other.

The invention consists in the features of novelty that are herein described, and in order that it may be fully understood I will describe it withreference to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of a fence embodying the invention and having four reaches or stretches arranged in the form of a rectangle. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, on a larger scale, of the adjacent end sections of f two of the reaches and of the corner-post, the parts being shown separated. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the sections. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the corner-posts, showing the fastening devices secured to it instead of to the end posts of'the end sections.

Each of the several sections comprises two end posts A, a rail B, secured at its opposite ends to said posts respectively, corner-braces O, and wires D. The end posts are preferably made of angle-iron, as it has the advantages of strength and rigidity combined with lightness, and in addition to this the flanges .afford a convenient way in which to attach the wires to the posts and in which to couple together the end posts of adjacent sections.

One flange of each post (the outer flange) is I provided with vertical slots a, through which pass bolts E, having nuts 6. By Wrapping the end of the wire around the bolt one or more times and then tightening up the nut the wire is securely attached tothe post. The slots permit the adjustment of the several wires relatively to each other, so that they may be placed at the desired distances apart. The rail B also is preferably made of angle-iron, and its ends are arranged within the angles of the posts A, so that one of its flanges lies flat against the outer flanges of the posts, said flanges being permanently secured together by rivets or other suitable means.

Inorder to secure together the several sections that are arranged in line with each other end to end to form each reach or stretch 'of the fence, one end post of each section is provided with fastening devices adapted to engage the end post of the next adjacent section. These fastening devices are preferably .in form of hooks F, each of whichhas an overhanging portion f, which is adjacent to the outer edge of the end flange of the post carrying it and adapted to hook over the end flange of the adjacent post, and a heel portion f, which is adjacent to the angle of the post carrying it and is adapted to lie against the outer flange of said adjacent post and hold it in place. 7

Where one reach is at right angles to another,the adjacent end sections are connected through the medium of a corner-post G, made ofangle-iron, the end posts of said adjacent sections being provided with hooks F for engaging said corner-post in the manner shown. The books F are like the hooks F in construe tion, but differ from them in arrangement in that the overhanging portions f are adjacent to the angles of the posts carrying them in stead 'of being adjacent to the outer edges of the end flanges.

Each of the corner-posts is provided with a foot H, and preferably one post of each section is provided with a foot I, each consisting of an arm secured to the bottom of the post and projecting laterally from it. I

As shown in Fig. 1, each reach of the fence has one section provided at one end with' a hook F and at the other end with a hook F; but, if desired, the hooks F may be carried by the corner-post G, as shown in Fig. 4. In this event the posts of the end section of each reach are left without any hooks.

Having thus described my invention, the following, is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A portable fence made up of sections having end posts of angle-iron and hooks secured to the end post of one section and engaging the end post of the next adjacent section, each of said hooks having an overhanging portion adjacent to the outer edge of the flange of the post it engages, and a heel adjacent to the angle of the post it engages, substantially as described.

2. A portable fence made up of sections having end posts of angle-iron, and hooks secured to the end post of one section and engaging the end post of the next adjacent section, each of said hooks having an overhanging portion disposed adjacent to the outer edge of the flange of the post carrying it, and a heel adjacent to the angle of said post, substantially as described.

. 3. A portable fence made up of sections having end posts of angle-iron, and hooks secured to one of the end posts of each section and engaging the end post of the next adjacent section, said hooks having overhanging portions adjacent to the edges of the flanges of adjacent posts and heels adjacent to the angles of said adjacent posts, substantially as described.

4. A portable fence made up of sections having end posts of angle-iron, a corner-post 0t angle-iron, and hooks for securing the end flanges of the adjacent end sections to'the flanges of the corner-post, substantially as described.

5. A portable fence made up of sections having end posts of angle-iron, a corner-post of angle-iron, and hooks secured to the end posts of the adjacent end sections and engaging the corner-post, said hooks having overhanging portions adjacent to the angles of the posts carrying them, and heels adjacent to the angle of the corner-post, substantially as described.

WILLIAM M. CRAFT. \Vitnesses:

W. A. ARMSTRONG, E. JARL. 

